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FROM THE CONTEMPORARY LOCAL NEWSPAPERS OF NORTH BUCKS (BUCKS STANDARD, NORTH BUCKS TIMES, WOLVERTON EXPRESS)
With today’s internet a wealth of official information is available regarding those who served.
In an age before local radio and television, families often allowed letters to be published in the local press from their loved ones on active service.
However, for their descendants the letters reveal a more personal aspect, graphically describing the experience of the people and providing an insight into their personalities.

B.S. 1916 July 29th

Corporal Harold Kitchener, the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. G. Kitchener, of Loughton, has been promoted to sergeant on the field in France. One of the first from the village to enlist, he has been on active service for the past year, and writes to his parents;

“It is 12 months since I came out. It is the longest 12 months I have ever spent. It seems like 12 years, but I hope we shall soon put the half-nelson on Fritz, then we can - all who are left - have a good leave. Well, I am glad to say we are fighting Fritz again in the open. We have done splendid, and my regiment had the pleasure of being one of the first to charge and take seven lines of German trenches. We made him leave his happy home in a hurry. I can assure you there was no holding us when we had the order to go. The worst time was waiting.”


W.E. 1918 June 14th

Gunner Alf Bodley, R.F.A., the son of Mr. and Mrs. David Bodley, of Loughton, is now in Eastleigh Hospital, suffering from wounds in the muscle of an arm. These were inflicted whilst in action on June 1st, and he has just been awarded the Military Medal for gallantry at Kemmell Hill.


ALSO AVAILABLE IN BOOK FORM AS ‘LETTERS FROM THE FIRST WORLD WAR’ FROM WWW. LULU.COM,
PRODUCED WITH THE INVALUABLE EXPERTISE OF ALAN KAY & ZENA DAN.